Donna Hay's double chocolate cupcakes

This is bake for my friend, Ban's birthday. I'm very tempted to bake my favorite chocolate cupcake again but I decided to try Donna Hay's double chocolate cupcake recipe this time coz I like the way she cooks and who knows, maybe I will like this recipe even more?
The recipe is very easy to follow and perfect for novice baker like me coz it tells you exactly how long you have to whip the batter or buttercream for. I'm not sure whether it's because I sifted the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder two times, so the cake turned out too flaky and loose. So, I have to say I still prefer the other chocolate cupcake recipe I have. But I was so thrilled when I nailed the chocolate buttercream icing coz I had disasters when I tried to make icing before due to the wrong temperature of the butter. Blame the summer weather in Hong Kong! I used my new Wilton nozzle 1M to pipe this icing. It looks a bit different from what I expected but it still looks good.

The boys with the cupcakes haha

Make 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

125g salted butter, softened (oops I just used unsalted)

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1.5tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1tsp vanilla extract

150g dark chocolate, melted

Chocolate buttercream frosting

250g butter, softened

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

1/4 cup milk (I didn't use it all coz I want the icing to be less runny)

Directions

1. In a bowl, sift together plain flour, cocoa powder and baking powder
2. In another bowl, whisk together butter, sugar and vanilla extract for about 10-12 mins until pale and creamy. Add in eggs one at a time and beat until well combined.
3. Add in milk and flour mixture alternatively in 3 additions, mixing well in between each addition.
4. Fold in melted chocolate thoroughly.
5. Fill cake mixture in cupcake liners until about 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven of 160C for 20 mins or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire rack.
6. To make the chocolate buttercream icing, whisk the butter in bowl for about 6-8 mins until pale and creamy.
7. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk and whisk for another 6 mins until fluffy and creamy. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Adapted from http://bossacafez.blogspot.hk/2010/04/donna-hays-double-chocolate-cupcakes.html